Pyrope Garnet and Montana Sapphires Highlight Winter 2015 G&G

Montana’s Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine: Sharing the Excitement of Mining with the Public

Tao Hsu, Andrew Lucas, Shane McClure, Kevin Schumacher, June 3, 2016

Join a GIA field team on an expedition to Gem Mountain, Montana, and witness the rarely seen sapphire heat treatment process and tourists passionately searching for treasures to turn into cherished jewelry.

Freshwater Pearling in Tennessee

Natural pearl identification is one of the critical problems in pearl research. The DNA study of pearly mollusks and oysters facilitates solving this problem. To fulfill this goal, GIA sent a group from both research and education to Tennessee to sample the freshwater mollusks for DNA bar coding. Come with us to Camden, Tennessee, to see how we dive for pearly shells.

Romancing the Source: Montana Sapphires

Andrew Lucas, February 16, 2016

Join a GIA field team on an expedition to Montana and let us take you to the sapphire mines, where you can see the natural beauty of the mining area as well as meet the rugged individualists who mine there.

Romancing the Source: Cambodia

Andrew Lucas and Tao Hsu, April 22, 2016

Accompany GIA field gemologists on a true gemstone mining adventure in Pailin, Cambodia. The area’s miners must combat heat, humidity, and deadly strains of malaria as they search the jungle for ruby and sapphire.

Gem Fossicking: Recreational Mining in Australia

Tao Hsu, Andrew Lucas, and Vincent Pardieu, December 16, 2016

Fossicking is a special type of mining activity that Australians love. Australia is a large country rich in many types of gem resources. Come to Australia with the GIA field gemology team to feel the passion of gem fossicking in the southern hemisphere.

Sapphire Mining Along the Upper Missouri River

A GIA team from Education and Lab Services visited the upper Missouri River sapphire deposits in Montana. The first sapphire discovery in the Treasure State, these deposits have been mined for over 150 years. The team witnessed the mining at the richest source, Eldorado Bar, and purchased a mine run to enrich GIA’s corundum collection.